Great! Lauren can talk about the process of writing one, and inspire children to write their own stories.

Yikes! Let Lauren get in there to help change their minds ASAP!

Is your school mixed or single-sex?

Mixed Girls

Lauren’s visit works for boys and girls.Lauren can teach both budding JK Rowlings and baby Philip Pullmans about how to create an authentic character, and how to write a better story.(Readings focus on both male and female characters from the Crabtree books.)

After reading from Book 1, Lauren will guide your budding Jane Austens, JK Rowlings and Hilary Mantels through a creative writing exercise.Either individually or as a group they will build their own Crabtree character using a character questionnaire like this one.

Do you want a straight reading and book signing, or more than that?

Straight reading We want more

Great!Lauren is happy to come read from the books, talk briefly about how and why she wrote them, answer your students’ questions and sign copies.The publisher Scholastic will arrange for a local bookstore to come and sell books on the day.

Hooray! Lauren will read from the books, talk about how and why she wrote them, and use a character questionnaire to create new Crabtree characters with your students. For large groups, the students and Lauren will create a character together and make up a story featuring him/her/it. For smaller class-size groups of children aged Year 3 and above, each girl will have her own questionnaire and we will work through them together and share ideas.

For girls’ schools, there is the Friendship Visit option:In the second book in the series, BEST FRIENDS FOR NEVER, our young protagonist Zoe struggles with what happens when your best friend suddenly isn’t. Lauren will read from that book, and talk about what it means to be a good friend, how to deal with disagreements and changing relationships, and how to be as kind as you can.Because the characters involved in this plot are girls, this workshop best suits small groups (class-size) of girls.This doesn’t make it any less academic or serious than the creative writing workshop visit; after all, what’s more important than kindness, friendship and feeling good about yourself?

The publisher Scholastic will arrange for a local bookstore to come and sell books on the day.

Is your school the best, most special primary school in all of Great Britain?

Yes

Of course it is! Just ask any of the children who go there.Lauren can’t wait to meet you all.